Burn Pot Extension

ABSTRACT

A first lateral wall and a tapered second lateral wall are joined together to create a burn pot extension. Mounting braces connected along a first lower edge of the first lateral wall allow for the burn pot extension to be secured to a burn pot. The first lateral wall is formed from a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel, while the second lateral wall is formed from a first inclined panel and a second inclined panel. The first lateral wall extends the effective volume of a burn pot, with a burn region being defined interior to the first lateral wall. The second lateral wall serves to funnel fuel, such as wood pellets, into the burn region. The area between the second lateral was is thus defined as a feed region. The burn pot extension ultimately allows for higher burn temperatures and several derived benefits.

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patentapplication Ser. No. 62/207,062 filed on Aug. 19, 2015.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an accessory for a burn potof a pellet stove that improves combustion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Central heating is utilized by an increasing number of buildings andinstallations in the modern age. While some individuals and institutionsstill utilize space heaters, many more turn to one of a variety ofcentral heating systems. Pellets stoves are an example of such a heatingsystem and are the focus of the present invention. A number ofmanufacturers produce and sell pellet stoves, though certain drawbacksare inherent to pellet stoves and thus present in the majority of theprior art. Most notable is the ash created by burning pellets, whichrequires regular cleaning of the pellet stove in order to ensure optimaloperation. Additionally, the combustion of the pellets produces some airpollution, which can be a concern when attempting to meet strictgovernment regulations.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide anaccessory which can added to preinstalled burn pots and improve the burnof a pellet stove. More specifically, it is an object of the presentinvention to produce a cleaner burn that reduces the frequency withwhich the pellet stove must be cleaned and helps to meet governmentpollution regulations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a left view of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a right view of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describingselected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limitthe scope of the present invention.

The present invention is a burn pot extension that enhances operation ofpellet stoves. The benefits derived from the present invention stem fromits core configuration of components. Describing this in more detail,the present invention comprises a first lateral wall 1, a second lateralwall 2, and a plurality of mounting braces 3. The first lateral wall 1itself comprises a first lower edge 11, a first upper edge 12, and afirst interior surface 13. Similarly, the second lateral wall 2comprises a second lower edge 21, a second upper edge 22, and a secondinterior surface 23. The lower edges and upper edges serve to define abottom portion and top portion of the respective lateral walls. Thepresent invention is illustrated in FIG. 1-FIG. 8.

The first lateral wall 1 forms a body that acts to extend the interiorvolume of a burn pot by raising the effective height of the burn pot.The second lateral wall 2 helps to funnel fuel (e.g. pellets) into theburn pot. The second lateral wall 2 also helps to retain fuel within theburn pot. Thus, the second lateral wall 2 is positioned next to thefirst lateral wall 1. To form a unitary body, the second lateral wall 2is joined along the perimeter of the first lateral wall 1. In differentembodiments, the second lateral wall 2 can be joined along a singlesegment of said perimeter, multiple segments of said perimeter, or theentirety of said perimeter, as later detailed. Elaborating upon thejoining of the second lateral wall 2 and the first lateral wall 1, thesecond lower edge 21 (of the second lateral wall 2) is connected alongthe first upper edge 12 (of the first lateral wall 1). In order to helpfunnel fuel, the second lateral wall 2 tapers from the second upper edge22 to the second lower edge 21. Thanks to this narrowing of the secondlateral wall 2, the second lateral wall 2 directs fuel (pellets fed froma hopper, for example) towards the burn pot.

The plurality of mounting braces 3 enables installation of the presentinvention into a burn pot. As such, the plurality of mounting braces 3is connected to the first lateral wall 1, allowing for the plurality ofmounting braces 3 to couple with the burn pot. More specifically, theplurality of mounting braces 3 is mounted along the first lower edge 11,at a bottom portion of the first lateral wall 1. Thus, when the presentinvention is placed atop a burn pot, the mounting braces 3 are able tosecure the present invention to said burn pot. Preferably, the pluralityof mounting braces 3 is distributed around the first lower edge 11.Spreading the plurality of mounting braces 3 in this manner allows forbetter weight distribution of the first lateral wall 1 and the secondlateral wall 2, as opposed to an embodiment where the plurality ofmounting braces 3 is concentrated at one segment of the first lower edge11.

When installed into a burn pot, the first lateral wall 1 and the secondlateral wall 2 help to define specific regions related to operation of apellet stove. More specifically, a burn region 4 is delineated by thefirst interior surface 13 of the first lateral wall 1. The burn region 4effectively extends the volume of an existing burn pot. The increasedvolume enables higher burn temperatures, ultimately resulting in severaladvantages (in comparison to a burn pot that does not make use of thepresent invention).

The burn pot requires fuel for combustion, which must be introduced froma storage area to the burn pot itself. This is typically accomplishedwith a hopper, which directly deposits fuel into the burn pot. Thus, afeed region 5 is delineated by the second lateral wall 2 of the presentinvention. The feed region 5 is, in essence, an intermediate volumethrough which fuel passes when moving from a hopper to the burn region4.

Expanding upon the present invention as described above, severaladditional components and configurations therefor are ideal for thepresent invention. For example, the plurality of mounting braces 3 ispreferably positioned into the burn region 4, opposite the feed region5. In other words, each of the plurality of mounting braces 3 isconnected along the first interior surface 13 and partially protrudeddownwards from the first lateral wall 1, as shown in FIG. 1-FIG. 5 andFIG. 8. There is also an ideal distribution of the plurality of mountingbraces 3 about the first lateral wall 1; this distribution issubsequently introduced after elaborating upon the first lateral wall 1of the preferred embodiment.

The first lateral wall 1 preferably comprises a first panel 14, a secondpanel 15, and a third panel 16. The first panel 14 and second panel 15are opposite sides of the first lateral wall 1, joined to each other bythe third panel 16. The first panel 14 and the second panel 15 areparallel with each other while the third panel 16 is perpendicular tothe first panel 14 and the second panel 15. This rectangular arrangementallows the present invention to smoothly interface with existing burnpots, which commonly have rectangular profiles. The third panel 16 ispositioned adjacent to both the first panel 14 and the second panel 16,and is connected between them such that the three panels connect to formthe first lateral wall 1.

Corresponding to the three panels, the plurality of mounting braces 3comprises a first brace 31, a second brace 32, and a third brace 33.Preferably, an auxiliary brace 34 is also provided to help create asecure installation of the present invention into a burn pot. The firstbrace 31 is connected adjacent to the first panel 14. The second brace32, mirroring the first brace 31, is connected adjacent to the secondpanel 15. The third brace 33, meanwhile, is connected adjacent to thethird panel 16. The auxiliary brace 34 is similarly connected adjacentto the third panel 16. As the auxiliary brace 34 is paired with thethird brace 33, the auxiliary brace 34 is positioned opposite the thirdbrace 33 through the third panel 16. In more basic terms, the thirdbrace 33 is connected along the first interior surface 13 at the thirdpanel 16. The auxiliary brace 34 is connected along an exterior surfaceof the first lateral wall 1, positioned on the third panel 16. The thirdbrace 33 and the auxiliary brace 34 act as a clip that minimizesshifting of the present invention relative to the burn pot andultimately results in a more secure coupling between the presentinvention and the burn pot. Preferably, each brace is centered along theedge of its corresponding panel, as shown in the accompanying figures.

The second lateral wall 2, similar to the first lateral wall 1,preferably comprises multiple panels. More specifically, the secondlateral wall 2 comprises a first inclined panel 24 and a second inclinedpanel 25. The first inclined panel 24 and the second inclined panel 25are positioned at opposite sides of the first lateral wall 1,corresponding to the first panel 14 and the second panel 15. Toaccomplish this, both the first inclined panel 24 and the secondinclined panel 25 are connected along the first upper edge 12 of thefirst lateral wall 1. The first inclined panel 24 and the secondinclined panel 25 connect with the respective first panel 14 and secondpanel 15 (of the first lateral wall 1) in a manner that maintains thetapering properties of the second lateral wall 2. The tapering of thesecond lateral wall 2 is clearly shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

Elaborating upon this relation, both the first inclined panel 24 and thesecond inclined panel 25 are angularly offset from the first interiorsurface 13 of the first lateral wall 1. The resulting slope allows forgravity to pull fuel along the surfaces of the inclined panels towardsthe burn region 4. As the second lateral wall 2 tapers towards the firstlateral wall 1, the two inclined panels are specifically offset at anobtuse angle 26. Ultimately, fuel that enters the feed region 5 (asdefined within the bounds of the second interior surface 23) is funneledinto the burn region 4 (as defined within the bounds of the firstinterior surface 13) by the first inclined panel 24 and the secondinclined panel 25. The angular offset between the inclined panels andthe first interior surface 13 is depicted via FIG. 2.

As the present invention is provided for use with pellet stoves inproximity to fires, the material used to manufacture the first lateralwall 1, the second lateral wall 2, and the plurality of mounting braces3 is preferably heat-resistant. In the preferred embodiment, stainlesssteel is selected to serve as said heat-resistant material. Thestainless steel construction allows the present invention to serve as adurable and cost-effective addition to a burn pot of a pellet stove.

While dimensions of the present invention may be altered in differentembodiments, a specific set of dimensions is provided for the preferredembodiment. More specifically, the width of the present invention,measured between the first panel 14 and the second panel 15 of the firstlateral wall 1, is 3 9/16 inches. A depth of the present invention,measured from a front edge of the first panel 14 and second panel 15towards the third panel 16, is 3⅞ inches. A height of the presentinvention, measured from the first lower edge 11 to the second upperedge 22, is 3¼ inches. The height of the first lateral wall 1 by itself,measured from the first lower edge 11 to the first upper edge 12 is 2½inches. The height of the second lateral wall 2 by itself, measured fromthe second lower edge 21 to the second upper edge 22, is ¾ inches.

Though the present invention is described in a preferred embodimentabove, it is not limited to the components and configurations detailedheretofore; indeed, further embodiments remain within the scope of thepresent invention. Many variations are possible for components of thepresent invention, a few potential examples of which are describedbelow.

The plurality of mounting braces 3, while described as being positionedinto the burn region 4, could instead be positioned exterior to the burnregion 4. That is, they would be positioned outside the first lateralwall 1, rather than into the burn region 4 as described in the preferredembodiment. Further, the specific number of the mounting braces 3 couldbe increased or decreased, though it is ideal to provide at least onemounting brace for each panel of the first lateral wall 1.

Yet another option is the provision of additional braces to be pairedwith the first brace 31 and the second brace 32, similar to the relationbetween the auxiliary brace 33 and the third brace 34. In thisembodiment, each of the plurality of mounting braces 3 has a pairedbrace on an opposite surface of the first lateral wall 1. It is alsopossible to provide different numbers of braces around the interior andexterior of the first lateral wall 1. The preferred embodiment is anexample of such, with three braces around the first interior surface 11and a single brace on the exterior surface. An example of paired braces(specifically the third brace 33 and auxiliary brace 34) is best shownin FIG. 8.

Beyond altering the arrangement and number of the mounting braces 1, onepossible embodiment could omit the mounting braces 3 and substitute themwith an entirely different mounting system, such as brackets that fastenthe present invention to a burn pot. While such embodiments arepossible, it's noted that an advantage of the preferred embodiment isits low cost, ease of installation (as it can be simply inserted atopthe burn pot), and durability (in part aided by a lack of moving parts).Ideally, any substituted mounting system will not detract from theseproperties.

Another possible alteration regarding the present invention is thenumber of panels that form the first lateral wall 1. For example,different shapes and positions of burn pots within a pellet stove mayrequire a greater or lesser number of corresponding panels. As thepresent invention is intended to be installed into an existing burn pot,the bottom perimeter of the first lateral wall 1 preferably matches theperimeter of a burn pot of a given pellet stove model. The exact numberof panels and the shape that they form is variable; the main object ofthe first lateral wall 1 is to serve as a body that can be installedinto an existing burn pot and as create an expanded burn region 4 forsaid burn pot.

Just as different numbers and configurations of walls for the firstlateral wall 1 are possible, different embodiments can vary the numberof inclined panels that form the second lateral wall 2. For example,variations in burn pots and pellet stove models may necessitate adifferent number and arrangement of inclined panels than the two of thepreferred embodiment. In some embodiments, the number of inclined panelsis unequal to the number of panels of the first lateral wall 1, as withthe illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, each panel of thefirst lateral wall 1 is provided with a corresponding inclined panel.

Other variations remain possible. For example, while a preferredmaterial and set of dimensions were previously described, in otherembodiments different materials and dimensions can be substituted forthose of the preferred embodiment. Such alterations can help improvegeneral compatibility of the present invention, allowing for differentversions to be produced for specific models of pellet stoves. Anon-comprehensive list of pellet stoves that are compatible with thepresent invention, as describes in the preferred embodiment, includesones from American Harvest (model numbers 5500m, 5500 XL, 5500 XLT,5510, and 6041), USSC (model King|Ashley 5500), and Vogelzang (modelsVG-5770 and VG-5790).

The components and configuration of the present invention allow forseveral benefits to be obtained when the present invention is installedinto an existing burn pot. One of the most notable advantages is animproved burn of fuel, derived from the increased effective volume ofthe burn pot; the burn region 4 defined by the first lateral wall 1allows for higher temperatures. Resultantly, an increased percentage ofthe fuel is cleanly burned, minimizing occurrence of “clinkers”.Clinkers are small unburnt pieces of fuel which eventually clog up theburn pot, create smoke and soot, and ultimately require more frequentcleaning. The cleaner burn resulting from the present invention leadsinto another benefit; the generation of a cleaner white ash compared tothe sootish ash that results from incomplete burning of fuel. Otherbenefits that result from installation of the present invention into apellet stove include improved compliance with government emission laws,compatibility with all brands of pellets, elimination of embers andsmoke when cleaning a burn pot, and the ability to operate the stove forlonger durations before requiring cleaning. The present invention hasbeen found to allow a pellet stove to operate for up to 8 days beforerequiring cleaning. Without the present invention, pellet stovestypically require cleaning after only a few days of operation. A furtherbenefit of note is better retention of fuel within the burn pot; thanksto the first lateral wall 1 and second lateral wall 2, it is less likelyfor fuel to bounce out of the burn pot; any fuel pellets that bounceabove the first lateral wall 1 will be funneled back into the burn potthanks to the tapered second lateral wall 2.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A burn pot extension comprises: a first lateralwall; a second lateral wall; a plurality of mounting braces; the firstlateral wall comprises a first lower edge, a first upper edge, and afirst interior surface; the second lateral wall comprises a second loweredge, a second upper edge, and a second interior surface; the secondlower edge being connected along the first upper edge of the firstlateral wall; the second lateral wall tapering from the second upperedge to the second lower edge; the plurality of mounting braces beingmounted along the first lower edge; a burn region being delineated bythe first interior surface; and a feed region being delineated by thesecond interior surface.
 2. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 1comprises: the plurality of mounting braces being positioned into theburn region, opposite the feed region.
 3. The burn pot extension asclaimed in claim 1 comprises: the first lateral wall comprises a firstpanel, a second panel, and a third panel; the first panel and the secondpanel being parallel with each other; the third panel being positionedadjacent to the first panel and the second panel; the third panel beingperpendicular to the first panel and the second panel; and the thirdpanel being connected between the first panel and the second panel. 4.The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 3 comprises: the plurality ofmounting braces comprises a first brace, a second brace, and a thirdbrace; an auxiliary brace; the first brace being connected adjacent tothe first panel; the second brace being connected adjacent to the secondpanel; the third brace being connected adjacent to the third panel; andthe auxiliary brace being connected adjacent to the third panel,opposite the third brace.
 5. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim1 comprises: the second lateral wall comprises a first inclined paneland a second inclined panel; the first inclined panel and the secondinclined panel being positioned opposite each other about the firstupper edge; the first inclined panel being adjacently connected alongthe first upper edge; and the second inclined panel being adjacentlyconnected along the first upper edge.
 6. The burn pot extension asclaimed in claim 5 comprises: the first inclined panel and the secondinclined panel each being angularly offset from the first interiorsurface at an obtuse angle.
 7. The burn pot extension as claimed inclaim 1 comprises: the first lateral wall being made from aheat-resistant material.
 8. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 7wherein the heat-resistant material is stainless steel.
 9. The burn potextension as claimed in claim 1 comprises: the second lateral wall beingmade from a heat-resistant material.
 10. The burn pot extension asclaimed in claim 9 wherein the heat-resistant material is stainlesssteel.
 11. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 1 comprises: theplurality of mounting braces being made from a heat-resistant material.12. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 11 wherein theheat-resistant material is stainless steel.